To ask your skin care routine?

[Stampy84]

Ok so I’m 35, I need to start taking better care of my skin.
So far this is what I’m starting this week-
Cleanse face,
Toner (rose water toner)
Retinol serum
Olay anti wrinkle night cream (For evening) and the day one with spf 30 for day.

So turns out I need to use eye cream as well?? Seriously?? Ugh. But ok, if needs must..
so, can anyone recommend an eye cream they love? Or is it unnecessary?

Same age. But live in Aus so sundamage more of a concern.

AM
Cerave hydrating cleanser with warm water & cloth flannel
The Ordinary Nicamaide + zinc serum
Cerave moisturiser lotion
Cerave eye cream
LPR 50+ sunscreen (all year round)

PM
Cerave hydrating cleanser with warm water or LRP dermocleanser & cloth flannel
Alternate nights - indeed labs retinol reface or
The Ordinary Vit C powder mixed in with Cerave moisturiser lotion
Cerave eye cream

I really fell down the Caroline hirons/salihughes skin care rabbit hole to begin with, but most of the brands they recommend are so expensive (am in Aus so euro brands are $$$$$), switched out using The Ordinary and more Korean/Japanese brands ( still buy some essences/toners occasionally) which are far more affordable and effective.
Since Cerave launched last year in Aus have fallen hard and fast - it is great and love the eye repair cream! Very hydrating, fictional and effective. HTH

Oh forgot to say I also use The Ordinary Lactic acid 2 - 3 times a week as well.

Am
Double cleanse
Klairs toner 7 skins
Niacimimide
Rosehip oil
moisuriser

Pm
Cleanse
Tretinoin or vit c
Squalene
Moisturiser

.

Cleans (double cleans PM) with an oil-based or cream cleanser. Remove with flannel.

AM acid tone

AM&PM hydrating toner/tonic

AM - non-retinol serum and moisturiser

PM - Retinol serum and night moisturiser

AM - SPF followed by makeup (if wearing)

I don't use eye cream. Most decent skincare is safe to use around the eye. Just be gentle with the delicate skin there when applying!

I'm 36 with dry skin - the biggest difference in my skin has been made by not using a foaming cleanser, a decent acid toner, and using encapsulated retinol every night.

@NotExactlyHappyToHelp - lovely routine. Are you a ‘Freak’? I’ve just switched to all JSS. Really like his products.

I’m contemplating Dermatica once I’ve used up the two retinol products I have. Currently slowly introducing JSS retinol oil and will move on to Medik8 first. Even if I buffer the JSS retinol my skin is a bit sore a few days after I use it.

When I remember so probably a couple of times a week: cleanse,tone,moisturise with boots no.7.

Scrub with Simple facial scrub maybe once a week if I remember. Otherwise it’s just water.

And occasionally I apply a manuka honey mask which costs £1 from Sainsburys.

Oh, and I don’t wear makeup. Have never had the wish to,but IMO makeup is a huge part of the problem anyway.

All these skincare “experts” must be laughing all the way to the bank. .

this thread is absolutely bananas

Says the woman who rubs her face with a fucking loofah! My face feels sore just thinking about it.

Although if it works for you that is great. Different strokes eh?

Crikey. Just reading this thread makes me feel anxious! I don’t have any routine! And haven’t for almost 4 decades. But then I rarely wear any make up. Isn’t it just better to keep it simple?
Don’t drink lots of booze
Don’t drink lots of caffeine
Drink lots and lots of water
Eat lots of vitamin rich food
Keep your face out of the sun always or wear total sunblock
Whack a bit of moisturiser on when you get up in the morning and before you go to bed. At the same time do back of hands, elbows, knees. Those are the areas that shoe ageing first.
Lip balm.
Done

I’m just thinking about my mothers age group. Over 70s. She has good looking skin for her age and has only ever used a standard oil of ulay daily moisturiser. Nothing else. Her mates all look terrible and at least ten/twenty years older. The difference? I remember when I was little, her mates sat in our garden, putting actual oil (cooking) on their faces to get brown and the one who now looks the worst used to hold a silver foil tray under her chin to reflect the sun up onto her face. My mother couldn’t stand sunbathing and used to wear big dark glasses, Sunhat with wide brim shading her face.

@NotExactlyHappyToHelp your routine is awesome. I’m going to steal a couple of product ideas...!

My routine below. NB I have super oily, not at all sensitive skin. My primary aim is keeping hormonal acne at bay, thus avoiding post-acne pigmentation, hence the high amounts of acid (I’m also resurfacing for existing pigmentation). Retinol helps with this too but I’m also pre-empting fine lines. This is a good routine for me though I know it would utterly strip some people’ faces.

AM:

• double cleanse: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser
• double cleanse: 111skin exfolactic cleanser
• Kate Somerville Exfolikate liquid
• Verso Super Facial Serum (retinol)
• SkinSense hydrating day cream
• Paula’s Choice SPF50

PM:

• double cleanse: Malin + Goetz oil cleanser
• double cleanse: Verso acne deep cleanse
• Paula’s Choice 2% BHA liquid
• Sunday Riley A+ retinoid serum
• Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (I’m suspicious of the coconut alkanes in this though... it’s on probation)

Why do people who don't have a skin care routine bother commenting on these threads?

Like if your not interested fine! But don't lecture people on something some people obviously enjoy/choose to do!
Developing a skin care routine gave me a path back to sanity and myself after 3 kids in 3 years....its lead to better diet and exercising, to a much happier me.
it pisses me off that people are so mouthy about others habits.

@FruChoc because the poster has posted in AIBU? OP has asked the question “AIBU to ask your skin care routine?” So people are entitled to answer the damn question. My answer is yes, yes you are BU. My prerogative. If you don’t want people answering with a negative then post this type of question on a beauty page not in AIBU plus the poster enabled voting. So you’re the one being a massive dick dude. Get out of AIBU if you can’t stand the heat. You also don’t get to give people shit for expressing their opinion. You’re not the AIBU King

@getlostu I suspect most people with ‘complicated’ skincare routines are also fairly concerned with other forms of self-care. I rarely drink, exercise well, get plenty of vitamins etc.

But, I have skin that needs more than just slapping some moisturiser on it. I have tried that. It didn’t work for me. I WISH my skin was the sort of skin you can casually loofah (?!?!) and leave to glow. Sadly not.

Sounds like you have got a good routine.

Pinkfrangipani knows what she's talking about to I second what she says.

VitC would be another you could add to your routine. It e courage's cell turn over and brightens. I don't think an eye cream is essential. Retinol and a good moisturizer are important for anti-aging.
You could possibly explore a glycolic face wash. That would help remove the dead skin cells. But if you have a dry skin type perhaps not.

The best SPF on the market has to be Heliocare Gel oil free. It's not shiny or tacky and it works. It's the only brand I trust to protect me from the sun. It's also really reasonably priced on Amazon.

I'm an aesthetics practitioner and doing lots of skin consultations. If you would like one feel free to pm me 😊 I have so much time and it's what I love doing!

Thank you everyone! (Including those who think skin care is crazy, and let everyone know- AIBU really wouldn’t be the same without you all 😏)
I’ve gone through all of your reply’s this morning, there’s so many good ideas! The only thing I’m confused about is:
I should be using an extra spf as well as my moisturiser that has it in?
The retinol serum, is using that every other day as I’ve been told to build it up? I use it at night, but what’s a good victim C serum for day time?

Again, thanks for all your reply’s

Soap, water, Astral moisturiser.

I have just started thinking about a skincare regime and bought a few things online yesterday.

20% glycolic acid chemical peel
Post peel moisturising lotion
10% vitamin c serum

I already had a big tub of Clinique moisture surge and eye roll on thing.

Can anyone recommend please anything else I might find useful? And how/when to use all these? I read that the glycolic peel should only be used around once a week but someone on here does it daily?

I have dry skin, but prone to spots around AF. Dark circles under my eyes. I’m 33, not much wrinkles at all yet but I’m getting married next year and want my skin to look amazing!

@Stampy84 - you are better to use a separate spf rather than a moisturiser with spf as it really doesn’t give enough protection. I use a moisturiser with spf on days I’m not going out. But if I’m going to be out and about or going for a walk i use a separate spf.

As @CrossFreelancer says Heliocare is a good one. Or La Roche Posay Anthelios.

Building up the retinol slowly is definitely the way to go. I’ve quite sensitive skin so am using once a week for now and will increase very slowly.

I will have a think about a Vit c serum.

I was a very spotty teen. Until started to use cleanser and toner to remove make up. I have cleansed and toned religiously since. I don't need to use moisturiser much but when I do it's Nivea. My Nana had beautiful skin and swore by it. So I'm using it more now I'm getting older.

I replaced all my expensive lotions and potions a few years ago. They did the same as the cheaper stuff. I now just use:
Simple cleasers/toner
Nivea moisuriser
Dove soap.

I do have nice skin. I eat alot of vegetables and get a desent sleep. But I don't smoke and don't have kids. My friends say having children is what really aged their skin.

@Stampy84
I should be using an extra spf as well as my moisturiser that has it in?

If you are genuinely concerned about getting adequate sun protection, then yes. You're only applying the facial moisturiser once a day and presumably not particularly thickly? That doesn't provide enough protection for the whole day. But if you're inside most of the day, or not spending much time in the sun, it shouldn't actually be an issue either. Depends on your personal circumstances

I'm 38 with dehydrated but combination skin. I mostly use Beauty Pie products. My routine is:

AM Japan Fusion cleanser
Twice a week I use Pixi Glow tonic here
Japan hydra Prep
Triple hylauronic acid
Jeju mist
Re-elastic serum
Super Healthy Skin anti aging cream
Biore Watery SPF

PM
Plantastic cleansing balm
Japan Fusion cleanser
Once a week Fruitizyme here
Japan hydra prep
Hylauronic acid
Jeju mist
Retinol serum
Ceramide capsule
Jeju moisturiser

It's a lot I know But I'm overweight, out of style, hair's a mess and having nice skin is one thing I do for myself. It's a little ritual that I enjoy.

All anyone really needs is to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise and use SPF

Lol @CrossFreelancer I'm an aesthetics practitioner too 

When it comes down to it, there are those people that like to invest in good skincare and those that like to go down the 'natural' route. Neither is wrong. It is personal choice.

I'm my clinic, I have made such a difference to some clients' skin by introducing a good home care regimen with or without in-clinic treatments and it has given them such an incredible confidence boost. That's why I love my job. @CrossFreelancer I'm sure you have done the same!

I totally second Heliocare SPF 50 Oil free gel, I use it too 👍🏼

I have a medical background so the formulation of products and how they act on the skin is of great interest and very important to me. If you're going to invest money, it should be on something that works! I use SkinCeuticals Phloretin serum (an antioxidant/VitC serum). It's expensive but the clinical trials behind it are very transparent and show excellent efficacy.

If you are looking for an alternative brand, look for something from Medik8 (a great brand for those that have mentioned it!), iS-Clinical are also good or Obagi.

@CrossFreelancer any recommendations for other brands?

@Stampy84 I would personally would use seperate SPF on face and backs of hands in U.K. Spring/summer.
I use retinol every 2nd because I alternate with Vit c or Lactic acid, but I would think every night is ok unless skin starts to react or excessively peel.
If luxury products are not a concern lots of affordable Vit c serums in U.K. - garden of wisdom, inkey list and the ordinary, quite a few diff forms/formulas so might be a good wAy to find a texture/ formula you like. Then price or concentration up.

I'm 30 and my skin care routine is:

Morning:
Soap and water
Sun cream factor 50 (all year round)

Evening:
Soap and water
Coconut oil

This is all far too much. Why put so many chemicals on your skin?
My routine...
Wake up
Get in shower
Put face under shower water
Get out of shower
Dry with towel

That's all
When I was 40, people thought I was 30.